Living in London hasn’t been as easy as I expected. It’s an enormous city, much bigger than the one I’m from in Holland, and the pace of life here is frantic.
Luckily, somewhere on the edge of the scenic Pennines in West Yorkshire lies a beautifully renovated old textile mill. The main building is much bigger than anything else in this rural, calm area, denoting its economic importance at one time, but feels perfectly in place nonetheless. It breathes a wonderful contrast between history and modernity. This sprawling edifice houses the Titanic Spa, named not after the famous doomed ship, but the important textile mill that once transformed this region into a hub of business activity.
Today, the sleepy spa is located near the village Huddersfield. The balconies of the apartments look out over rolling hills, quaint houses and English fields populated by daisies and horses. Modern life is still within reach, but far enough away to help you drift into a state of relaxation even before your spa treatment starts.
Upon arrival we are greeted by a genuinely friendly receptionist who gives us a short tour of the spa. In fact, all the staff at Titanic Spa we talk to is sincerely friendly and warm, which is almost disarming, after having arrived from brisk, curt London.
After changing into bathing suits, a thick robe and plush slippers, we slowly move from room to room, soaking up the unpretentious ambiance. Following the directions of the kind receptionist, we soon have our first treatment, called the Heat and Ice Experience. This involves moving from a dry Finnish Sauna to freezing plunge pool; from the Crystal Steam room to the ice scrub area. This centuries old therapy aims to detox the body and boost circulation. The heat will clean your pores and get your blood flowing; the cold will close your clean pores and gives your circulation a further boost.
After this energizing experience we take a few lapses in the saltwater pool, whirl in the hot tub, take a nap in the relaxation lounge, strewn with inviting bean bag chairs and drink a glass of bubbles on the terrace along the narrow river. The only things we didn’t find time for in our busy schedule were the mud chamber and the gym.
What makes a stay at Titanic Spa even more relaxing is that there is no need to feel guilty about being there; Titanic is England’s first eco spa and takes this title very seriously.
Delicious organic scents perfume the air around us. The Titanic Spa works with all-natural brands including Decléor, Elemis, NEOM Luxury Organics and Comfort Zone to enhance the aromatic organic spa experience.
Of course, all spa treatments are designed to fit perfectly with the products used. For example, during my Decléor Sheer Bliss Massage, two therapists perform a perfect choreography on the body using the Decléor oils. Sometimes they moved in synchronicity, at others they moved their hands apart to create an extraordinarily relaxing experience leaving your skin tingling from head to toe.
To extend that utterly relaxed feeling, most guests here wish to spend the night, and it’s a wise choice. We stayed at a two-bedroom apartment, which was bigger than your average London apartment. It had a wonderful living room with a balcony and windows from floor to ceiling looking out over the hills. The large beds were lush with puffy pillows to doze off on.
The organic delights continued with the food in the bistro, which serves up fresh, light and very healthy food and juices that are locally sourced whenever possible and usually organic.
We left Titanic Spa feeling completely revived, relaxed and satisfied. In London, I felt a bit overwhelmed, as though I were drowning in work and other responsibilities. Titanic Spa was my lifeboat, keeping me afloat in a sea of stress.
- Images provided by Titanic Spa: http://www.titanicspa.com
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